Friday Background: Interview With Novelist Noel Barber (1)
- Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Fonds
Fonds/Collection
- Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Series
Series
- 11/12/1981
Record Date
- 00:08:32
Recorded Duration
- English
Recording Language
-
1997024410
Accession No.
- Sound
Type
- 5 inch Open Reel Audiotape
Format
-
Access permitted
Conditions Governing Access
-
Use and reproduction require written permission from depositing agency/donor. Processing of reproduction request may require 7 working days.
Conditions Governing Reproduction
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Synopsis :In this interview, British novelist and journalist Noel Barber speaks about his first novel 'Tanamera' which has just been released and is available in eight countries all over the world. His earlier book, 'Sinister Twilight' about the fall of Singapore to the Japanese provided him with much of the background material needed for this novel. He wanted to write an updated version of what happened in the days of the war. 'Tanamera', a novel set in Singapore in the 1930s captures life in Singapore at that time through a love story. There are lots of real people in the book which tells about the romance between an Englishman and a Chinese girl. He explores racial themes in the novel as the couple overcomes racial prejudices to get married. Barber took 18 months to write the book at 1000 words a day. He did not change the facts about Singapore of the past, but added to them. Looking back, he reveals that he first landed in Singapore on a steamer in 1938, was offered a job and stayed here for two years. This was the first tropical paradise he had seen. He loves coming back to Singapore, feels at home here and has lots of friends in the country.
